Vale Decum
by JKHarleyQuinn
Summary: Friendship needs no words - it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness. - - You must run Layla. You are not safe whilst he remains by your side.


Vale Decum - The Nightmare Begins

Silence. It resonated through the Tardis like a cruel, constant reminder that once again the Doctor was alone. The absence of Donna's loud, infectious laughter weighed upon the Doctor's shoulders, making the ever-present ache in his hearts that much stronger.

The Doctor reached out to pull down a lever, leaning over the console slightly, grabbing the round handle he slammed it down. Comforted by the soft humming of the Tardis that followed, the Doctor slumped into a battered, old chair and held his head in his hands. It was his fault, it always was. He had lost Donna, the best friend he'd wanted, no, more like needed, for a very long time. They had been through so much together and now she couldn't remember him. She couldn't ever remember him or what would happen next would hurt the Doctor and riddle him with so much guilt he couldn't bear thinking about it.

Gently rubbing the length of his face with one hand, the Doctor rose from his seat walking back over to the round console in the centre of the room. Setting the co-ordinates to random, the Doctor pulled down yet another lever making the whole Tardis shake and jerk in all directions. The Doctor clung tightly to the console and tried to keep his balance as it came to an abrupt stop. The tall, dark haired man stood back up straight and dusted himself off. Patting the console in an affectionate manner he walked over to the door, grabbing his trench coat off the coral like structure closest to the exit. The Doctor slipped out, turning to lock the Tardis before seeing where exactly she had taken him this time.

'Layla Madison.' My name. The only thing I really remember about myself. Everything was a blur, and sometimes that really bothered me. The times when I couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried. Tonight, was definitely one of those nights. It was now 3am and sleep still evaded me no matter how many imaginary sheep I counted. Sighing I rolled out of bed, shoved some clothes on and headed out the door. I pulled my coat tightly around my slim frame before setting off in no particular direction.

The air around me was cold and crisp with barely any sound disturbing it. The stars were left completely uncovered from the lack of the usual clouds allowing them to shine brightly in the sky, illuminating everything enough to be able to see without another source of light. Looking up from my feet which were keeping a steady pace, I glanced around the once busy streets, figures no one would be awake at this time in the morning. Except if the streets were deserted, then who could I hear breathing heavily behind me. I spun on my heel, prepared to confront any imaginary rapist or mugger that might be following me. There was nothing there and not a thing out of place.

"Calm down Layla, there's nothing to be worried about. I'm juuuuust being stupid that's all." I tried to convince myself but to no avail. I could still hear the heavy rasping breathes but now I couldn't pinpoint where they were. My pace quickened as the breathing got louder and louder until I was running down the empty street never getting any further away. Sprinting round the corner in irrational fear I came screeching to a halt. There in front of me stood a disfigured form of a man. It's body parts twisting in ways they definitely shouldn't and it hunched over as if it's back had been broken multiple times. The was no hair on it's head and it's eyes and mouth had been sown shut. Despite this, I could feel it's forced shut eyelids bore into me as the creature let out an inhuman shriek.

"Oh crap" I turned and bolted it back the way I came, that thing hot on my heels. There was absolutely no chance I could out run it but maybe there was some hope I was slightly more agile. With this in mind I swerved quickly into an alley way, hearing the creature thunder past, unable to stop in time to make the turning, I flung open the door of a old fashioned police box, ran inside and slammed it shut behind me. I leant against the door and slide down to the floor. It was pitch black, I couldn't see my own hand an inch away from my face and I prayed the creature wouldn't think to look in here. My heart lurched; as it's raspy breathing reached my ears, sniffing around outside, no doubt searching for me. I kept completely still, afraid to move a muscle, waiting for it to leave. I let out a sigh of relieve as I heard the creature leave the alley way. I leant against the door and used it to help myself up seeing as I still couldn't see a thing.

I felt around for a handle, jumping slightly as I heard the sound of lights switching on behind me one at a time and the small blue box flooded with warm light. Except the room I now stood in was not the tiny cramped space I had thought it was. This little police box held an impossibly large room inside of it, and in the centre was a strange, round console with too many buttons and levers scattered around in a seemingly random order. Slowly, mouth agape, I approached it gently running my hand along the edge.

"Whoah." I said completely at a loss for words. A smile playing on my face, I ran a hand through my hair and flopped onto the ground. My smile turned into a full out grin and laughter escaped my lips as I took in the impossible room. I stopped suddenly when I heard a key being turned in a lock. I looked towards the door just as a tall man in a light brown trench coat slipped in closing the door behind him. He froze when he saw me, his face turning into complete and utter confusion.

"What! Wait….Just What! How did you get in here? I could have sworn no I know I locked that door!" The man practically yelled walking over to me.

"It was open when I came through it!" I gestured towards it just for good measure.

"But that's impossible! Unless….Unless the tardis let you in but…" The strange man stopped for a second, deep in thought his brows furrowed in concentration.

"I'm sorry but who are you? And what's a Tardis?" I interrupted, putting my hand up like a small child would to ask a question in school. I felt it was about time I got some answers. The man looked at me, his face erupting into a smile. He quickly strode the rest of the way up to the console and stuck out his hand.

"I'm the Doctor, just the Doctor and this…." The Doctor took my hand in his, shook it before gesturing to the impossible room with his other hand.

"is the Tardis, stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, and if you don't mind me asking, what's your name." Time and relative dimensions. I repeated the words over in my head. This man, the Doctor, was he seriously trying to tell me he had a time machine? Then again, what reason did I have to doubt him? If I could be chased down the street by a monster so reminiscent of a man that it terrified me all the more and this box could be bigger on the inside than it is on the outside then why the hell can't it travel through time and space as well?

"So this is like your spaceship? Does that mean you're an alien?" I asked, my face threatening to break out into a grin.

"Sort of and yes, I'm a timelord but enough about me, what's your name." The Doctor asked for a second time, placing a hand lightly on my shoulder to prevent me from getting distracted again.

"Layla Madison."

"Layla, that's a good name." The Doctor said smiling. He then shook his head slightly turning back to look at me straight in the eyes, his expression suddenly turning serious. Putting both hands on my shoulders he leant down slightly so he was nearly at eye level.

"Layla I need to know why you came in here. The Tardis doesn't let just anyone in especially after I've locked it." The Doctor continued to look at me his gaze studying me.

"I was…..hiding." I averted my eyes, staring down at the floor.

"Hiding? Hiding from what?" His brow cocked in a quizzical manner.

"I…I don't know exactly." I embraced my left hand in my right and drew small circles on my palm with my thumb, something I always did when I was scared or something was troubling me.

"Describe it to me."

"I guess it sort of looked like a man but it was so disfigured, it's back was bending in unnatural ways and eyes and mouth were sewn shut but I could still feel it's stare." Was it possible this monster had once been a man? I hoped not.

"Strange, I've never heard of anything like that. Well I guess we'll just have to find out why it's here and what it's after." The Doctor spun around on his heel and began pulling various levers.

"Is there a plan?" I asked stepping around the console to the other side.

"Well of course there is. I make it up as I go along." The Doctor grinned up at me making me roll my eyes.

"Now you'd better hold on to something Layla."

"What? Why?" The Doctor simply grinned grabbing another lever.

"Allons-y!" The Doctor yelled slamming down the lever.


End file.
